Anchor rope mechanism



Aug. I, 1944. 1 H. FEY

ANCHOR ROPE MECHANISM Filed Nov. 1o, 1941 2 sheets-Sheet 1 MX mm MM V ,NN zu c m Aug '1, 1944- L. H. FY

ANCHOR ROPE MECHANISM Filed Nv. 1o, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 1, 1944 lUNirEo sri-iras PATENT o-FFICE lApplication November 10, 1941, Serial No. 418,525

2 Claims.

This invention relates to mechanism for raising and lowering anchor lines, such mechanism being particularly adaptable for small boats.

One of the principal objects oi my invention is to provide anchor line winding mechanism which includes a free spool or reel in combination with effective means for retarding the speed of the reel as well as releasably locking lthe same against rotation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a line winding reel having a handle which is so connected to the reel that il; is normally maintained out of engagement with the reel so that the latter can run free andthe handle will not ily around and endanger the operator ci the device.

A further object of the invention is tc provide an anchor line mechanism of the type described above which is suiiiciently sturdy to withstand the strains to which such a device is subjected and which at the same time is relatively simple in construction and operation.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the views, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan View of a boat with my mechanism attached thereto;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation oi the line winding mechanism with portions broken away to show interior structure; l

Fig. 3 is a section take-n approximately on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; l

Fig. 4 is a sectional View through al dierent i embodiment of the invention; and

Fig. 5 is a side elevati-on of the structure in Fig. 4 with portions thereof broken away.

In Fig. 1 there is shown a boat having an anchor line winding device A secured to one of the gunwales by means of a suitable clamp arrangement l, the details of which are not shown. An anchor line 8 is shown extending from the winding mechanism A through a guide pulley unit 9 to a bow rope guide I. The rope guide at the bow can be of any suitable structure. An anchor lever is shown suspended from the bow of the boat.

The winding mechanism A includes a reel I2 having anges I3 and I4, said reel being rotatably mounted on a hub sleeve I5 which extends laterally from a reel supporting spider I6. l The spider IB is provided with a plurality of threaded bosses I'I .which are adapted to receive bolts connecting said spider I'6 with the clamp unit Tor any other suitable clamp unit.

A crank shaft I8 extends through the sleeve I5 and spider I'B and the right-hand end of said crank shaft, as Viewed in Fig. 3, is provided with a cup-like connector member I9, the flange of which has a series of notches 26) formed therein. .The shaft I8 is soy arranged `that it can be moved axially a shortdistance. The right-hand end of the'shaft, as viewed in Fig. 3, is enlarged and a compression spring 2I .is inserted inthe bore 22 ofthe sleeve I5 to normally and yieldably maintain the crank shaft I8 at its extreme right-hand position of movement. This is 'the positionA shown in Fig. 3. When the crank shaft is pressed to the left against the compression of the spring 2 I and the crankr 23 is turned the notches 2D will receive pins 24 which are mounted on a flange 25, the latter being in turn secured to the reel flange I3. When the crank 23 is released the spring 2I will move the crank shaft I8 to the right, as viewed in Fig. l3, and release the cup-shaped element I8 from'the pins 24. By reason of this connection of the crank to the reel the reel can run free while the crank remains stationary, thereby eliminating any danger of the crank iiying around and striking an occupant of the boat. I

The sleeve I5 and reel I2 are held against relative axial movement by means of a shoulder 26 adjacent the left-hand end of sleeve ,I5 and also at the right-hand end thereof Vby means of a key plate 2l fitting in a groove 28 formed in the right-hand end of said sleeve is., A pin 29 locks the cup-shaped element I9 to the righthand end of shaft I8, and a cotter key 3B at the left-hand end of said shaft limits movement of the shaft to the right.

A pair of brake shoes 3l and 32 ared formed as an integral unit, as indicated `in ,Fig 2., are pivotally mounted at 33 onrthe reel supporting spider I6. A lever 34 extends outwardly through an opening 35 in the side wa1l.of the spider I 6 Vand said lever may have a rope 36 secured thereto so that it may be manipulated from a remote point such as the rear seat of the boat 6. A tension spring 3l is connected between brake shoe 3I and the spider I6 to normally swing the brake shoe 32 into engagement with a brake drum 3,8 which comprises a ring extending outwardly from the reel flange I4, said brake drum 38 lying concentric to the axis of rotation of the reel I2. As viewed in Fig. 2, the reel I2 rotates in a clockwise direction as the anchor rope 8 unwinds therefrom, and it will be seen from the angular disposal of the brake shoe 32 that it will engage the drum 38 in such a way that it will lock said drum and the reel I2 against rotational movement. However, when the lever 34 is pulled to the left, as shown in Fig. 2, the brake shoe 32 will be released so that the reel can rotate. In order to retard the unwinding of the anchor rope 8 lever 34 can be pulled to the left sulciently to bring the brake shoe 3l into engagement with the brake drum 38, thus controlling the speed of rotation of the reel l2. When the lever 34 is released spring 31 will swing the brake shoe unit to bring shoe 32 again into engagement with drum 38 and lock the reel- `shoe 32 will slip on the brake drum 38 when the reel is rotated counterclockwise.

In Figs. 4 and 5 there is shown another embodiment of the invention. There is shown a reel spindle 39, 40, the spindle portion 4!) being sweated on the spindle portion 39, as shown in Fig. 4. The spindle portion 39 has a reel flange 4I and the spindle portion 40 has a reel ange 42. The liange 42 carries a ring 43 having pins 44 engageable by a notched element 45 forming a portion of the crank 46. VThe notched element 45 is secured to a crank shaft 41 by means of a pin 48 in the same manner as in the previously described embodiment, and said shaft 41 is adapted for endwise movement and normally held to the right, as viewed in Fig. 4, by means of a compression spring 48. The shaft 41 lies in a sleeve 50 which comprises a portion of the spider I, the latter being suitably adapted for connection to a clamp in the manner of the spider I6 shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

Supported by the hub of the reel flange 4I is an annular ratchet member 53 which is secured in position by means of a clamping ring 52a, the latter being secured to the hub of the reel flange 4I by means of bolts 52. Lock washers 52h provide sufficient resiliency between the heads of the bolts 52 and the clamping ring 52a to firmly but yieldingly clamp the annular ratchet 53 beneath said clamping 52a. A brake shoe 54 is pivotally connected at 55 to the spider 5l and said brake shoe carries a slidable spring pressed pawl 56 which is adapted to engage the ratchet 53. As viewed in Fig. 5, the reel can be turned counter- -clockwise and the cammed teeth on the ratchet 53 will press the pawl 56 outwardly of the rotational axis of the reel letting the teeth clip by, but as the reel is turned clockwise one of the teeth will engage the pawl 56 and lock the reel against rotation. The brake shoe 54 has a lever 51 connected thereto, and when said lever is pulled to the left against the tension of the spring 58, said brake shoe 54 will engage a brake drum 59 extending outwardly from the reel flange 4I and concentric to the axis of the rotation of the reel. The brake shoe 54 is used to retard unwinding movement of the reel 39, 40 in the manner of brake shoe 3| in Figs. 2 and 3, and the ratchet and pawl mechanism is used as a lock in place of the brake shoe 32 in the previously described embodiment.

It should be noted from the manner of clamping the annular ratchet 53 that in the event the anchor rope is running out fairly rapidly and the dog 56 is suddenly engaged with the ratchet 53 said ratchet will slip to some extent between the clamping ring 52a and the hub of the reel ange 4l. This construction is so arranged that the slippage under unusual forces applied to the ratchet and dog will not result in breakage. The clamping action of the ring 52a is such that the ratchet will be held against slippage under normal strains such as holding a boat after the anchor has been dropped to the bottom.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided a device for winding and unwinding anchor ropes on small boats where the user of the mechanism is greatly convenienced insofar as raising and lowering the anchor is concerned. Furthermore, the reel can be locked with the anchor up or down at any desired position, and as the anchor is lowered the speed of the reel can be easily controlled so that the anchor will not create any appreciable disturbance of the water. Additionally, as has been stated above, when the crank is released it automatically disconnects from the reel so that it will not fly around with possible resulting injury to occupants of the boat.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various parts without departing from the scope of my invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Anchor line mechanism comprising, a reel, a support therefor, a double armed lever pivotally connected to said support intermediate the ends of said lever, said arms being alternately swingable toward portions vof said reel, one of said arms having reel engaging and locking means thereon, the other of said arms having a drag brake shoe thereon, a crank for said reel, and means normally maintaining said crank out of engagement with said reel.

2. Anchor line mechanism comprising, a stationary hub sleeve, a reel mounted for rotation on said hub sleeve, a crank having a shaft rotatable in said sleeve and axially movable therein, means for detachably connecting said crank to said reel at one limit of movement of said crank in said hub sleeve, a spring device connected between said hub sleeve and said shaft for urging -said shaft toward 4its other limit of movement axially of the shaft, and a friction brake unit supported by said hub sleeve, said brake unit being movable into frictional contact with a portion of said reel.

LINCOLN H. FEY. 

